Smith Mills as Seen by The Journal Representative
SUNDAY, JAN. 23, 1910

This beautiful and hustling little town is situated in a very fertile and productive valley, surrounded by some of the best farming lands in the grand old Commonwealth of Kentucky.

The town is sometimes called the “Point,” owing to the equal distance it is located from the following cities, morganfield and Mt. Vernon, which is twelve miles. It is also of equal distance from Alzey, Geneva, Corydon and Waverly. This distance is six miles. The origin of its name, thus: Several years ago a man by the name of Smith owned and operated a mill about where the center of the town is now. As the mill served a great many patrons, and as the town began to increase and build up, it was decided that the name was very appropriate for the village, so this name remained unchanged up to this good day and the good citizens would not accede to their pride’s same being exchanged for another.

In this portion of the county is grown a large percentage of the wheat, corn and tobacco that le marketed in Henderson, and its reputation for fine stock, etc., is unequalled. The cattle, hogs and sheep that are marketed in one single year from this neighborhood will run up into thousands of dollars, and is always engerly sought by the stock dealers.

Only a few years ago the lands that are the most productive and are bringing the best crops were considered almost untillable; but as the time passed on and the citizens released that they were trampling hidden treasures under their feet, they at once set out to clear up the woods and thickets and put the soil in condition for tilling. This being done, their hope were soon realized and the country is now famous for its products, for which there la always a ready market.
The lowlands have been tiled and drained, new improvements made and nearly every farm in the community is graced by a beautflul residence and other improvemente of every description.

The town has three dry goods and general stores, one grocery, bank, drug store, furniture store, undertaking establishment, barbershop, coal mine, two blacksmith shops, buteher shop and three physicians – Drs. James W. Cooper, O. G. Jones and John H. Gabhart – three churches and one of the best schools in the county; also has three daily mails.

There is a vast amount of business done there, and the prices are as reasonable, or more so, than those of the Henderson merchants.

On entering the town, and on the north side of Main street, will be found the handsome two-story brick of G. W. Powell, where he, with his efficient corps of clerks, C. R. Нoskin and R. W. Wise, are ready to serve you with anything from their vast stock of dry goods, hats, caps, shoes, groceries, etc.

A little further on, and across First street, will be found the magnificent Odd Fellows’ Hall, a two-story brick, the second floor of which is used as a lodge room and is very spacious and well equipped. It also has a large stage, which may be used for entertainment purposes. A more model lodge room cannot be found in the county. The first floor is divided into two store rooms, the one lying on First street being occupied by Clyde Grady, who has on hand always a first-class and fresh stock of drugs, druggists’ sundries, paints, oils, etc., and is ever ready to satisfy your wants for anything in his line any time during the day or night.
The other store room is occupied by the J. W. Haynes Company, who have an extensive line of furniture, stoves, paint, oils, wall paper, etc.

Across the street, on the South side of Main, is the large dry goods store of the same company, who, with their efficient set of clerks, C. L Cartwright, H. L. Bethel and H. T Ogden, are ready and waiting to comply with your wants with any article from their immense stock of dry goods, shoes, hats, caps, groceries, etc.

Another step back across Main street will be found the strong institution, the Smith Mills Deposit Bank, where the genial cashier, Wm. H. Cabell, and his efficient assistant, Harry S. Utley, are always and anxiously awaiting to assist you, take your money and store it away in their burglar-proof, screw-door bank safe until you have need of it, when it is restored to you as cheertully as it was received.
Next door to the bank is the general store of H. H. Lilly, where the best of good things to eat or anything in the dry goods, shoes line, etc., may be had.

Next in order is the up-to-date grocery of J. B. Nelson, where you can find a full line of fresh groceries, queensware, etc., and your wants will be hastily satisfed by he or his chief clerk, Clinton Shofner, or if perchance you think there is any mail for you, they will very readily inform you whether or not your sweetheart or your creditor have forgotten you.

Now back up Main street to First and down said street you will find the tonsorial parlor of the genial William L. Chandler, who is an expert in this line, always at your service. Then a little further down said street you will find the greatest convenience that a neighborhood could desire – the coal mine, where is mined and put out some of the best coal that can be produced. This is under the management of the obliging superintendent, W. W. Cooper, and his valuable assistant, W. S. Thornsberry, and no one should even think of letting his little ones sufer at such reasonable prices at which this product can be obtained.

The churches are Presbyterian, Baptist and Methodist. The latter is almost completed and will probably
be ready for dedication within the next thirty days. This structure is of brick, covered with asbestos roofing and will be heated by a furnace, which has been installed. The plastering in now in progress and will be completed by the 25th of the month. The remaining carpenter work will then be rushed to completion, when it will be ready for occupancy. When completed, the aggregate cost of this edifice will be about $7,000 and a more beautiful or nicer place of
workmanship can not be found in the county.

The beautiful little Presbyterian church, which is quite an ornament to the town, will in the near future be remodelled and converted into a residence, it having been sold a few days ago to Mr. H. H. Lilly.

The school at this place, a said before, is one of the best in the county and in making splendid programs under the management of Prof. Marvia Eblen and his assistants, Mines Leaa Lilly and Susie Cooper.

The only handicap that is on us is that we have no railroad or traction line, but we believe this will come in the near future. Then the neighboring towns will have to watch us or we will make them “sit up and take notice.”

The opportunities offered here we don’t believe can be excelled by any town whose population is no greater than this, which is about 400.